ADORATION.

THE Lord hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all. Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his

word. Bless the Lord, all ye his hosts: ye ministers of his that do his pleasure. Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul.*

O Lord, our God, thou art very great, thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Thou coverest thyself with light as with a garment; thou stretchest out the heavens like a curtain; thou layest the beams of thy chambers in the waters; thou makest the clouds thy chariot; thou walkest upon the wings of the wind.†

We worship thee, O Lord, who madest heaven

* Psalm ciii. 19.

+ Psalm civ. 1-3.

and earth, the sea, and the fountains of waters * who spakest, and it was done; who didst command, and it stood fast: who saidst, Let there be light,† and there was light let there be a firmament, and thou madest the firmament: who didst make all things very good ; and they continue this day according to thine ordinance, for they all are thy The day is thine, the night also is thine. Thou hast prepared the light and the sun, -thou hast set all the borders of the earth,

servants.

thou hast made summer and winter,§-thou upholdest all things by the word of thy power, and by thee all things consist.**

Thou, Lord, art great in power: thou hast thy way in the whirlwind and in the storm; and the clouds are the dust of thy feet. Thou rebukest the sea, and makest it dry, and driest up the rivers. The mountains quake at thee, and the hills melt, and the earth is burned at thy presence, yea, the world, and all that dwell therein.++

* Rev. xiv. 7. + Psalm xxxii. 9.

Gen. i. 3. 6, 7.

Psalm cxix. 91. § Psalm lxxiv. 16, 17. ¶ Heb. i. 7.

** Col. i. 17.

++ Nah. i. 3, 4, 5.

With thee also is wisdom and strength; thou hast counsel and understanding;* thine understanding is infinite: for thou tellest the number of the stars, and callest them all by their names.† Thou art wonderful in counsel, and excellent in working, wise in heart, and mighty in strength. O Lord, how manifold are thy works! in wisdom hast thou made them all. O the depth of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out.§

Thou art good unto all; and thy tender mercies are over all thy works. Thou makest thy sun to rise on the evil and on the good; thou sendest rain on the just and on the unjust.** Thou art merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, and forgiving iniquity, transgression, and sin.†† As the heaven is high above the earth, so great is thy mercy toward them that fear thee; as

far as the east is from the west, so far hast thou removed our transgressions from us. Like as a father pitieth his children, so the Lord pitieth them that fear him.*

Whither shall we go from thy spirit? or whither shall we flee from thy presence? If we ascend into heaven, thou art there; if we make our bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If we take the wings of the morning, and dwell in

the uttermost parts of the

sea, even there shall thy hand lead us, and thy right hand shall hold us. All things are naked and open before the eyes of him with whom we have to do, even the thoughts and intents of the heart.‡ Thine eyes are in every place, beholding the evil and the good. Darkness and light are both alike to thee.

Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.§ Of old thou hast laid the foundations of the earth,

* Psalm ciii. 11, 12, 13.

+ Psalm cxxxix. 1, 2, 3. 7, 8, 9, 10.

|| Prov. xv. 3.

Heb. iv. 12, 13.

§ Psalm xc. 2.

and the heavens are the work of thy hands. They shall perish, but thou shalt endure; yea, all of them shall wax old as a garment; as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed: but thou art the same, and thy years shall have no end.*

O Lord, teach me to pray.† Open thou my lips, and my mouth shall show forth thy praise.‡

* Psalm cii. 24-27. + Luke xi. 1.

Psalm li. 8.